Ironer



Aug. 26, 1-941. G. w. WARDWELI., JR 2,253,954-

IRONER` Filed OCL. 4, v19258 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 26, 1941.

G. w. wARDwELL. JR

I BONER Filed Oct. 4, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 His Attorney.

Apg. 26, 1941. v G. w. WARDWELL, JR 2,253,954

' IRQNER- Filed OCH 4, 1958 4, Sheets-Sheet 4 Pig/5,

Inv enter` z Patented Aug. ze, 1941 IRONER George W. Wai'dwell, Jr., Nichols, Conn., assigner to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application-ctober'4, 1938, Serial No. 233,253 3 Claims. (C1. 3860) The present invention relates to rotary ironers of the type having cooperating ironing members comprising a roll and a shoe.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved construction and arrangement in rotary ironers, and for a consideration of what I believe to be novel and my invention, attention is directed to the following description andthe claims appended thereto.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a rotary ironer embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional 'end elevation of the driving mechanism; Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of the trip lever and the associated mechanism controlling the engagement and sepl aration of the ironing members; Fig. 5 is a sectional front elevation of the ironer; Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 5--6 of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the 'clutch member for moving `the shoe toward and away from the roll;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of the clutch keys carried lin the clutch member; Fig. 9 is an end elevation of the shoe and its associated parts, the shoe beingshown separated from the roll; Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 9, the shoe being shown against the roll; Fig. 11 is a sectional view taken on line II`II of Fig. 9; Fig. 12 is a sectional view taken on line I2-I2 of Fig. 9; Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the hub connecting the shoe and the rock shaft; Fig. 14 is a perspective view of one of the seats for the shoe pressure limiting spring; Fig. 15 is an end view of the shoe, the control lever being broken away to'show the connection between the control lever and the shoe supporting arm; and Fig. 16 is aA `top 5 of a suitable table and is securedy thereto by screws 6 threaded from the under side of the table top into bosses I on the inner walls of the pedestal.

Projecting through an opening 8 in the table top into the pedestal 4 of the casing is an electric motor 9 which -is resiliently supported by rubber rings I0 on a plate II fixed to bosses I2. 'I'he motor shaft I3 is connected by a ilexible coupling I4 to a worin shaft I5 journaled in bearings I6 and I1. The bearing I5 is carried on a boss I8 on the bottom wall I9 of the casing. The bearing I'l, a combined sleeve and 'thrust bearing which takes the worm thrust, is

carried on a boss 20 on'the top wall 2l of the casing. A worm 22, cut on the shaft I5, meshes with a worm wheel 23 iixed on a shaft 24 journaled in a boss 25 in the end wall 26 of the casing. The shaft 24 is continuously driven by the motor. The boss 25 provides spaced bearings for the shaft 24 and a lubricant containing space 2l between the bearings. The shaft 24 projects outside the casing wall 26 and has a pinion 28 iixed on the projecting end thereof. The other end of the casing is closed by a removable cover plate 29.

The roll (Fig. 5) is of the construction shown in my application, Serial No. 64,480, filed February 18, 1936. It comprises a sheet metal cyl- `inder 30 the outer surface of which is covered by a pad 3| held in place by a pad cover 32. The pad cover is held in place by snap rings- 33 which t in grooves 34 in the inner surface of the cylinder -within each end. Within the ends of the cylinder are disks 35 and 36 having outwardly extending flanges 31 and 39 respectively fixed to the inner surface of the cylinder. At the center of the disks 35 and 36 are sleeves 39 and 40 having outwardly extending flanges 4I and 42 respectively secured to the disks '35 and 36 and having sleeve bearings 43 and 44 respectively fixed therein. The sleeve bearings 43 and 44 bear respectively on collars 45 and 46 which loosely surround a. tube 41 fixed in a boss 48 in the end wall 26 of the ironer casing. The

collars 4'5 and 46 are non-rotatably supported on the tube 4'I in the manner shown at the `righthand end of the roll in Fig. 5. Within the tube 41 are cup-shaped seats 49 and 59 having tubular shanks 5I and 52 extending respectively into l diametrically opposite openings in the walls of the tube arranged on a center line connecting the roll and shoe when the shoe is pressed against the roll. The shank 5I is slidable in its opening and the shank 52 is fixed in its opening. v

Extending through the tubular shanks 5I and 52 are pins 53 the upper ends of which t in seats 54 in the inner surfaces of the collars 45 and 46 and the lower ends of which extend through openings 55 in the collars and terminate slightly within the outer surfaces thereof.

Between the seats 49 and 50 and around the pins 53 are helical compression springs 56 which are strong enough to normally bias the collars 4'5 and 46 upward so that the lower parts; i. e., the parts shown resting against the tube 41 in Fig. 5, are normally held against the tube. The pressure from the springs 55 is transmitted to the collars 45 and @S6 through the Shanks 5| and the seats 54. The supporting arrangement for the collar d5 is identical with the support for the collar 35.

When the shoe is away from the roll the collars l5 and d5 will be urged against the under side of the tube i1 and the roll will occupy the i position shown in Fig. 5. in this position an internal gear 51 which is xed to the flange 38, for example, by screws 55 threaded into the gear from the outside of the cylinder 35, willbe out of mesh with the pinion 28 xed to the continuously drivenshaft 25 (Fig.l 6). When the shoe is pressed against the roll the pressure of the shoe on the roll overcomes the relatively weak springs 55 and moves the roll transversely with respectl to the tube (i1 to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. ll). In this position the internal gear 51 meshes with the pinion 28 completing a driving connection to the roll. Since the springs 55 are relatively weak, rotation of the roll is started before full ironing pressure is developed between the roll and the shoe. This decreases the starting load on the roli.

As the internal gear is moved into mesh with the pinion, there is a possibility vof the clashing of the gear teeth which is increased by the fact that the pinion 26 is an external gear with its teeth extending radially outward and the gear 51 is an internal gear with its teeth extending radially inward. It is therefore possible for a pair of teeth on the pinion to straddle a pair of teeth on the internal gear. Under this condition, further approach of the gear teeth would cause serious jamming. This tendency for clashing or jamming of the gear teeth is prevented by the yieldable mounting for the roll provided by the collars 45 and 46 and the associated parts. As the internal gear is moved into mesh with the pinion, if the teeth are in a position to cause jamming, the right-hand end of the roll as viewed in Fig. 5, will pause inl its movement while the left-hand end will continue its movement. During the pause in the movement in the righthand end of the roll, the teeth of the continuously rotating `pinion will move to a position in which the teeth may mesh without jamming.

Under some circumstances, it is desirable that the roll remain stationary when the shoe is pressed against the roll. This is accomplished by moving a block 59 between the collar 46 and the upper side of the tube 41 when the shoe is away from the roll. Under this condition, the collar will be held spaced from the upper side of the tube 41 thereby preventing movement of the internal gear 51 into mesh with the pinion 28 when the shoe is pressed against the roll. 'I'he block 59 is carried on a slide 60 which extends between the tube 41 and the collar 45 to the outer end of the roll. A handle 6l is provided on the outer end of the slide. The slide is provided with a slot 62 through which the tubular shank 5| associated with the collar 45 projects and with a slot 63 through which extends a screw 64. The head of the screw 64 overlaps the sides of the slot 63 preventing displacement of the slide around the tube. Lengthwise movement of the roll oi the end of the tube 41 is prevented by a thrust washer 65 held in place by a cotter pin 66.

The shoe (Fig. 9) comprises an arcuate metal plate 61 having its rear side enclosed by a cover 68. It is heated lby suitable electrical elements along the roll.

(not shown). arranged between the cover and the rear side of the shoe.

The shoe is moved toward and away from the roll by a rock shaft 69 journaled in bosses 16 and 1l in the `ironer casing and extending therefrom The projecting end of the rock shaft has a reduced portion 69a journaled in the flanges 12a and 12b of a channel-shaped support 13 fixed to the table top 5. The support 18 is constructed so that it can be exed by the defiection of the. shaft 59 under the shoe pressure without disturbing the table top. The flanges 12a and 12b are held between a shoulder 695 and a snap ring 69o on the rock shaft (see Figs. ll and 12). The shoe is supported on the rock shaft and is moved thereby into and out of engagement with the roll by a toggle which comprises an arrn 14 fixed to the shoe and an arm 15 pivoted on the reduced end 69a of therock shaft. The arm 14 has spaced walls 1B extending along the outside of the Aspaced cuter Walls 11 of the arm 15. Fixed between the walls 16 is a pivot pin 18 which extends through elongated slots 15 in the walls 11. The pin 18 is normally held at the outer ends of the slots'19 by a compression coil spring 80 arranged between a seat 8i having ears 82 slidably carried in the slots 19 and between a seat 63 of the same construction as the seat 8| fixed between Walls 11 of the arm 15 adjacent the rock shaft 69 by having its ears 83a ilt in openings 83h. When the arm 15 is pivoted in a counterclockwise direc tion,-as viewed in Fig. 9, the shoe is moved against the roll. When the shoe is against the roll, as shown in Fig. 10, the pin 18 and the arms 14 and 15 lie substantially on a center line connecting the roll and the rock shaft. In this position the toggle is straightened and the full ironing pressure is developed. The ironing pressure is limited by the strength of the coil spring which decreases the variation in ironing pressure with variations in the thickness of the pad 3l and of the material being ironed. When the shoe is pressed against the roll the roll rotates in the direction of the arrow 84 (Fig. 10). As explained above, the rotation of the roll starts before the development of the full ironing pressure. The friction exerted on .the shoe by the roll tends to move the shoe in the direction of the arrow 84.

. This force, therefore, tends to move the toggle to the straightened position and assists in pressing the shoe against the roll.

The arm 15, as shown in Fig. 12, is arranged between the flanges 12a and 12b of the support 13 and the side walls 11 thereof are pivoted on the reduced portion 69a of the rock shaft 69. Slidably and' rotatably carried on the rock shaft 69 is a hub 85 having notches 86a and 86h for receiving a set screw 81 threaded into the rock shaft.

The hub 85 is connected to the arm 15 by a rod 88V deiined by the engagement of the set screw 81 with the walls '90 on the hub 85. For pivoting the arm 15 there is provided a channel-shaped lever 9| having flanges 92 and 93 enclosing and bearing against the end s of the hub 85 (Figs. 11 and 12). The flange 92 is pivoted on the rock shaft 69. 'I'he ange 93 is pivoted on a boss 84 on the hub 85. The `flange 93 has an elongated slot 95 through whichthe rod 88 extends. The

slot provides a lost motion connection between the lever 9| and the arm 15, permitting the lever 9|l to remain stationary during oscillation of the arm 15 by the rock shaft 69. The hub 05 and the lever 9| are held in the position shown in Fig. 12 by a coil spring 98 arranged around the rod 88 and between a washer 91 fixed on the rod and the inner surface of the wall 11 adjacent :the hub 85. In this position the ilange 93 of the lever 9| is held against the outer surface of the flange 12a on the support 13 and movement of the lever 9| in a clockwise direction. as viewed in Fig. 9, is limited by a stop 98 pressed out of the flange 12a which cooperates with a 'tongue 99 on the flange 93. When the knob 89 is moved to y the right, as viewed in Fig. 12, the tongue 99 is moved clear of the stop 98 and the lever 9| may be pivoted in a clockwise direction. This movement, through the pin and slot connection pro-y vided by the slot 95 and the rodv 83. will cause the arm 15 to be pivoted `in a clockwise direction.

This movement of the arm 15 can be used to move the shoe away from. the roll independently of the rock shaft. It, therefore, serves as an emergency release to relieve the pressure between the roll and the shoe in case of failure of the power supply. It may also be used to move the shoe a greater distance from the roll.' as shown in Fig. 16. to permit cleaning and waxing of the shoe. Under normal conditions the set screw 81 rests in notch 86a, in which case the 1 shoe 9 is moved by oscillation of' the rock shaft between the positions shown in Figs. 9 and 10. When the set screw rests in notch 89h, the shoe is moved by oscillation of the rock shaft between the positions shown in Figs. 15 and 16. In the position of Figs. 9 and' l5, the lower edge oi' the shoe rests against a stop 98a on the support 13. The slot 95 and rod 89 provide a lost motion connection between the lever 9| and the arm 19 so that the lever 9| remains stationary during the oscillation of the rock shaft so long as the tongue I 99 of the lever is adjacent the stop 99.

The rock shaft |59 is oscillated to move the shoe toward and. away from the roll by means of a connecting rod having one end pivoted on a pin ||l| fixed in a. crank arm |02 fixed to the rock shaft and having the other end pivoted on a pin |03 threaded into a boss |04von a. clutch member |05 loose on the continuously rotating shaft 24. The clutch member |09 has diametrically opposite grooves |09 in which are slidably carried clutch keys |01 (see Figs. '1, 8 and 3). The

clutch keys are urged outward by coil springs |08 (Fig. 3) arranged between the bottom walls l of the grooves |06 and tongues |09 on the clutch keys. Outward movement of the clutch keys is limited by engagement of the tongues |09 with flanges ||0 at the top of the grooves |06. The clutch keys |01 are held in their inner positions upper clutch key |01 and has an edge portion l| |1 which fits in aV groove |-|8 in the clutch member by trip memberslll and ||2. The trip member ispivoted on a pin |13 (see Fig. 2) fixed on the ironer casing and is urged into engagement |05. The bottom of the groove H0, as shown Fig. 2, has an abrupt increase indepth at dione end in an ear |25 on the trip member and at the other' end in an arm |29 of a bell crank lever |21 pivoted at |28 on a post'l29a (Fig. 5) on the gear casing. The bell crank lever |21 is urged 15.

to the position shown in Fig. 2 'by a coil tension spring |29. The other arm |30 of the bell crank lever |21 cooperates with a crank |3| on the oi!- set end of a shaft |32 journaled in a bearing |32a in the wall 29 of the ironer casing and in the support 19. ilsazprevented by a snap ring |32band a lwasher c. of the rock shaft 69. Adjacent the support 13 is a crank |33 fixed to the shaftv |32 by a set screw (Fig. 9). The crank |33 cooperates with the tongue 99 on the control lever 9|. When the' control lever 9i is' moved in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 9, the tongue 99 presses against the crank |33 and moves the shaft |32 in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figs. 2 and 9. For convenience in moving the control lever 9| the outer end has fixed thereto arod |35 which extends along and above the front edge of the shoe as is clearly shown in Figs. 1 and member ||2 in a clockwise direction. as viewed in `'Fig'. 4, moving the trip member clear of the adjacent clutch key |01. The clutch keyis then moved outward by the spring |08 into one of the notches |36 in the'worm wheel 29 completing a driving connection fron the worm wheel to the clutch member. after termed the driving key IThe worm wheel is provided with an -,oddy number of notches so that the other clutch key |01 is held in its inner position by the tooth |31 which is diametrically opposite the slot |39 in which the driving clutch key fits. As soon as the driving clutch keymoves into one of the notches |99 the control lever 9| may be released andthe trip member l| I2 will be returned to the position shown in Fig. 4 by the coil spring |29. Upon rotation of the clutch memberthrough 180 degrees the trip member forcibly moves the driving clutch key out of engagement with the notch |36. The disengaging movement of the driving clutch key is made more positive by the moving of the edge |i1 ofthe trip member offthe abrupt shoulder ||9 which releases the energy stored in the spring lil. The driving clutch key, therefore, is moved pomtively inward clear of the teeth .|31 breaking the driving connection to the clutch member |00. The other clutch key'is held inthe inner'posito the position shown in Fig. 4.

By this arrangement it is apparent the successive actuations of the co'ntrol lever 9| will tion by the trip'member ||2 which has returned cause the clutch 'member |03 to be moved-in 1'80 Endwise movement of the shaft |32 The shaft |32 extends along the under side This clutch key will be heredegree steps. When the clutch member is in the position shown in Fig. v2 the shoe is separated from the roll. The parts are held in this position by a tension spring |38 arranged between the gear casing and the pivot pin |03 which tends to turn the clutch member in a counterclockwise v direction, as viewed in Fig. 2, holding the shoulder ||9 against the edge ||1 of the trip member and preventing overtravel of the clutch member. When the clutch member |05 has been turned 180 degrees from the position shown in Fig, 2, the shoe will be pressed against the roll.

In this position the rotation of the roll exerts a frictional force tending to rotate the shaft 69 in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 2, exerting a pull on the clutch which prevents overtravel. An additional force tending to prevent overtravel is obtained from the shoev supporting toggle 14, 15 due to the fact that the pin 18 is displaced from the center line of the toggle links when the shoe is in the closed position. This is the sole force present when the roll is stationary. When the shoe is in the closed position, the force of the spring |38 acts in a direction to cause overtravel of the clutch. It is, however, too weak to cause overtravel. The weight of the shoe is balanced by a spring |39 arranged between the gear casing and the pivot pin |0|. This eliminates unbalanced weight acting on the mechanism which might prevent smooth action.

In the use of the ironer, the material to be separated from the roll. A momentary downward pressure is then exerted on the control lever 8| through the rod |35 causing the trip member ||2 to be moved clear of the adjacent clutch key |01 and permitting the ladjacent clutch key |01 to be moved outward intoone of the notches |38 in the worm Wheel 23 establishing a driving connection to the clutch member |05. This driving connection is broken at the end of a 180 deironed is arranged on the roll while the shoe is gree rotation 'of the clutch member by the trip member which forcibly moves the clutch key inward clear of the notch |35. The`180 degree rotation of the clutch member |05 causes the shoe to be pressed against the roll and by the pressure exerted on the roll by the shoe causes the internal gear 51 to be moved into engagement with the pinion 28 starting the rotation of the roll.

At the completion of the ironing the shoe is moved away from the roll by pressing downward on the rod |35 initiating another 180 degree r0- tation'of the clutch member |05 which returns l the parts to the position shown in Fig. 2.

-If it is desired that the roll remain stationary when the shoe is pressed against the roll, the slide 60 is pushed inward moving the block 58 between the tube 41 and the inner surface of the collar 48. This holds the internal gear 51 clear of the pinion 28 so that the driving connection to the roll is not established.

In an emergency the shoe may be moved away from the roll by the control lever 9| L This is accomplished by pushing the knob 89 to the right, as viewed in Fig. 12, thereby moving the hub 85 to a position in which the notch 86a is clear of the set screw 81. This breaks the connection between the hub 85 and the rock shaft 89. By pivoting the control lever 9| in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 9, the shoe supporting arm 15 may be pivoted in a clockwise direction to move the shoe away from the roll. The connection between the arm 15 and the control lever 9| comprises the rod 98 and the slot 85. When the shoe is separated from the roll the hub 85 is pivoted to a position in whichthe set screw 81 fits in the notch 86h. The position of the parts under this condition is shown in Fig. 15. If the rock shaft is rotated to the position shown in Fig. 16, which rotation may be effected by exerting a momentary downward pressure on the rod |35, the parts will be moved to the position shown in Fig. 16 in which the shoe is further separated from the roll. In this position the shoe may be cleaned and waxed.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In an ironer, a roll, a shoe, power driven mechanism for effecting engagement and separation of the roll and shoe, manually operable mechanism for eiecting release of the pressure between the roll and shoe, a control lever for said power driven mechanism extending over the shoe, and independently operable connections between the control lever and the release and power driven mechanisms whereby the release mechanism may be operated by the control lever independent of said power driven mechanism.

2. In an ironer, a roll, a shoe, power driven mechanism for effecting engagement and separation of the roll and shoe, manually operable mechanism for effecting release of the pressure between the roll and shoe, a control lever extending over the shoe, and independently operable connections between the control lever and said power driven and release mechanisms whereby said mechanisms may be selectively operated by the rollindependent of said mechanism. 

